Brazilian military government

The Brazilian military government was the authoritarian military dictatorship that ruled Brazil from 1 April 1964 to 15 March 1985. In 1964, the armed forces, led by Magalhaes Pinto, Adhemar de Barros, and Carlos Lacerda, and backed by the United States, launched a coup against President Joao Goulart. In 1967, the military enacted a new, restrictive constitution, stifling freedom of speech and political opposition with support from the US government. The regime adopted nationalism, economic development, and anti-communism as its guidelines. In the 1970s, the regime reached the height of its prosperity due to an economic miracle, even as the regime censored all media and tortured and banished dissidents. However, chronic inflation and the fall of other South American dictatorships led to President Joao Figueiredo supporting re-democratization. In 1984, PMDB candidate Tancredo Neves, a civilian, won the presidential election, but he died before he took office; his running mate, Jose Sarney, became President on 15 March 1985. In 1988, a new constitution was passed, and the military was put under the control of civilian politicians, while full democracy was restored.